Merchant Navy (horse)

Merchant Navy (foaled 14 November 2014) is an Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed considerable promise as a juvenile when he was undefeated in three start including the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes. As a three-year-old he proved himself one of the best horses of his generation in Australia over sprint distances, taking the HDF McNeil Stakes and the Coolmore Stud Stakes as well as being placed in both the Rubiton Stakes and the Newmarket Handicap. In the summer of 2018 he was relocated to Europe where he won both his races, namely the Greenlands Stakes in Ireland and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Merchant Navy
Sire	Fastnet Rock
Grandsire	Danehill
Dam	Legally Bay
Damsire	Snippets
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	14 November 2014[1]
Country	Australia
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Chris Barham
Owner	Seymour Bloodstock, Halo Racing Services et al Merchant Navy Syndicate Tabor, Smith , Magnier
Trainer	Ciaron Maher Aaron Purcell Aidan O'Brien
Record	10: 7-0-2
Earnings	£951,009
Major wins
ANZAC Day Stakes (2017) HDF McNeil Stakes (2017) Coolmore Stud Stakes (2017) Greenlands Stakes (2018) Diamond Jubilee Stakes (2018)

Background

Merchant Navy is a bay horse foaled at the Segenhoe Stud in New South Wales by Chris Barham, a chiropractor from Toowoomba.[2] As a yearling he was consigned to the Inglis 2016 Easter Yearling Sale and was bought for A$350,000 by the trainer Ciaron Maher.[3] The colt entered the ownership of a group headed by Seymour Bloodstock and was taken into training by Maher. He was ridden in most of his Australian races by Mark Zahra.

His sire, the Australian stallion Fastnet Rock, was a sprinter whose victories included the Lightning Stakes and the Oakleigh Plate. He sired many leading horses including Shoals and Atlantic Jewel in the Southern hemisphere before moving to the Coolmore Stud in Ireland. His European progeny have included Fascinating Rock and Qualify.[4] Merchant Navy's dam, Legally Bay,showed good racing ability, winning the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes in 2003.[5] She was descended from Pirouette, a half-sister to the AJC Derby winner Innocent King.[6]

Racing career

2016/17: two-year-old season

Merchant Navy began his racing career in a maiden race over 1200 metres at Pakenham Park on 2 March in which he started at odds of 5/2 and won by one and three quarter lengths.[7] A month later at Sandown Racecourse the colt started odds on favourite for a handicap race over 1400 metres and won again, beating the Godolphin runner Platinum by a length.[8] Luke Nolen took the ride when the colt was stepped up in class for the ANZAC Day Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on 25 April. Carrying top weight of 57.5 kg he completed an unbeaten first season as he came home a length in front of the favourite Casino Fourteen.[9]

2017/18: three-year-old season

On his three-year-old debut Merchant Navy started 5/2 favourite for the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes over 1200 metres at Caulfield Racecourse on 2 September. He came from the rear of the field to take the lead in the closing stages to win by a head from Booker.[10] After the race Maher said "He’s a very exciting colt... He put the writing on the wall with his trials and the way he’s furnished during his spell and he’s now a well-rounded racehorse".[11] Three weeks later he was strongly fancied for the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Racecourse but never looked likely to win and came home tenth of the fourteen runners behind Trapeze Artist. Two days after the race Ciaron Maher received a six-month suspension after it was revealed that several of his trainees were owned by the "convicted conman" Peter Foster,[12] and his training duties were given over to Aaron Purcell.

On his first start for his new trainer Merchant Navy, wearing blinkers for the first time, was made an 18/1 outsider for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, a Group 1 race for three-year-olds over 1200 metres at Flemington on 4 November. The more fancied runners included Trapeze Artist, Invincible Star (Thoroughbred Club Stakes), Catchy (Blue Diamond Stakes), Viridine (Roman Consul Stakes), Houtzen (Scarborough Stakes) and Kementari. After racing towards the rear of the 20-runner field Merchant Navy was switched to the inside, produced a strong late run and won by a head and a short head from Invincible Star and Formality.[13] Zahra commented "I always felt he was going to be in the finish, I just need to find him some clear air. I could see a lot of room back to the inside and went there and he started to picked up. Once I got past the Godolphin horse (Viridine) and back to the inside of the leader, he just took off".[14]

In the 2017 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Merchant Navy was given a rating of 117, making him the 129th best racehorse in the world and the second best three-year-old in Australia.[15]

After a break of over three months Merchant Navy returned on 10 February at Caulfield when he was matched against older horses for the first time in the Rubiton Stakes. He started favourite but despite producing a strong finish he came home third behind Super Cash and Flamberge. On 10 March the colt headed the betting for the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington when he was ridden by Chad Schofield. He was restrained towards the rear before producing his customary late charge but he was beaten a short head and a head by his older rivals Redkirk Warrior and Brave Smash in a three-way photo finish.

2018: four-year-old season

In the spring of 2018, Merchant Navy moved to the northern hemisphere and joined the stable of Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle in Ireland. His relocation followed his partial acquisition by John Magnier's Coolmore Stud and he henceforth raced for a partnership including Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor as well as the "Merchant Navy Syndicate". His first run in Europe came in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh on 26 May in which he was ridden by Ryan Moore and started the 9/2 third choice in the betting behind Brando (Prix Maurice de Gheest) and Tasleet (Duke of York Stakes). He started slowly but moved up into third place entering the final furlong before staying on strongly to take the lead in the closing stages and win by a length from Spirit of Valor.[16]

At Royal Ascot on 23 June Merchant Navy contested the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and started at odds of 4/1 in a twelve-runner field. Harry Angel started favourite, while the other runners included Redkirk Warrior, The Tin Man, Librisa Breeze (British Champions Sprint Stakes), City Light (Prix de Saint-Georges), Bound For Nowhere (Shakertown Stakes), D'Bai (John of Gaunt Stakes) and Spirit of Valor. Partnered by Moore, Merchant Navy tracked the leaders before making a forward move approaching the final furlong but was hampered when the early leader Bound For Nowhere hung to the left. He gained the advantage in the final strides but was strongly challenged by the French horse City Light and the pair crossed the line together. Although City Light appeared to have won the race the photo finish revealed that Merchant Navy had hung on to prevail by a short head.[17] After the race O'Brien said "We thought it was kind of an impossible task for him... I can’t tell you how happy we are. He is relaxed, genuine, a good mover and has a good mind. He is very docile. He has no problem in any way. He is really a joy to do anything with".[18]

Less than a week after his win at Ascot it was announced that Merchant Navy had been retired from racing to become a breeding stallion for the Coolmore Stud.[19]

In the 2018 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Merchant Navy was given a rating of 118, making him the 78th best racehorse in the world and the fifth best sprinter in Europe.[20]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Merchant Navy (AUS), bay stallion, 2014[1]

Sire Fastnet Rock (AUS) 2001	Danehill (USA) 1986	Danzig	Northern Dancer (CAN)
			Pas de Nom
		Razyana	His Majesty
			Spring Adieu (CAN)
	Piccadilly Circus 1995	Royal Academy (USA)	Nijinsky (CAN)
			Crimson Saint
		Gatana	Marauding (NZ)
			Twigalae
Dam Legally Bay (AUS) 2000	Snippets 1984	Lunchtime (GB)	Silly Season (USA)
			Great Occasion
		Easy Date	Grand Chaudiere (GB)
			Scampering
	Decidity 1993	Last Tycoon (IRE)	Try My Best (USA)
			Mill Princess
		Class	Twig Moss (FR)
			Pirouette (Family: 1-n)[6]

References

1. "Merchant Navy pedigree". Equineline.
2. Bate, Phillip (25 June 2018). "Mason's Chance best of bush". North Queensland Register.
3. "Australian Easter Yearling Sale 2016". www.breednet.com.au.
4. "Fastnet Rock - Stud Record". Racing Post.
5. "2003 Result – Sweet Embrace Stks (held 22 March 2003)". breednet.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
6. "Chelandry - Family 1-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
7. "Racing.com 2YO Maiden Plate result". Racing Post. 2 March 2017.
8. "Nick Johnstone Real Estate Handicap result". Racing Post. 5 April 2017.
9. "ANZAC Day Stakes result". Racing Post. 25 April 2017.
10. "HDF McNeil Stakes result". Racing Post. 2 September 2017.
11. Manley, Michael (2 September 2017). "Merchant Navy sinks rivals in style". Herald Sun.
12. Bartley, Patrick (25 September 2017). "Trainer Ciaron Maher banned for six months and fined $75,000 over horses owned by Peter Foster". Sydney Morning Herald.
13. "Coolmore Stud Stakes result". Racing Post. 4 November 2017.
14. Roots, Chris (4 November 2017). "Peter O'Brien watches Merchant Navy deliver on his potential in the Coolmore Stud Stakes". Sydney Morning Herald.
15. "The 2017 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
16. "Greenlands Stakes result". Racing Post. 26 May 2018.
17. "Diamond Jubilee Stakes result". Racing Post. 23 June 2018.
18. Armytage, Marcus (23 June 2018). "Merchant Navy sails off with the Jubilee Stakes". Daily Telegraph.
19. O'Hehir, Tony (29 June 2018). "O'Brien's Royal Ascot sprint star Merchant Navy retired to stud in Australia". Racing Post.
20. "The 2018 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2019-01-23.